Franchisee focuses on the second half of 2020 as a lucrative opportunity for savvy investors

Durham, NC (RestaurantNews.com) Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, the nation’s fastest growing biscuits and fried chicken concept, has signed a five unit deal with franchisees Dr. Parker Simon and his partner Bradley Turney to expand “The Best Dang” fast casual concept to Tulsa, Oklahoma. With 16 locations in operation across the country, Rise has risen to the top of the pack as a franchise to watch.

“This is big news for franchising, as the Tulsa deal carried forward without hesitation despite this time of unpredictability for many investors. Dr. Simon has a long-term investor’s mindset and he is well-positioned to develop the Rise brand,” said Tom Ferguson, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken Founder and CEO. “Rise has always sought opportunities to leverage conversions when opening new locations. With the harsh reality of at minimum 11 percent of restaurants anticipating closing permanently amid the crisis, there will inherently be cost-saving opportunities for people like Dr. Simon to lease and convert a space, and we can provide the blueprint.”

Since first opening as a single storefront in Durham, North Carolina, in 2012, the brand has grown to 16 stores across six states and has more than 160 units in development. Recently, Rise began using YourFare to streamline third-party delivery services, contending with the burgeoning delivery trend. They’ve also recently spearheaded a cloud kitchen project to assist Durham restaurants and the Triangle Restaurant Employee Relief Fund in weathering the next few months.

“We believe in the U.S.,” said Dr. Parker Simon, Neonatologist and new Rise franchisee, “and we will get through this crisis. We desire to be a part of the solution and help provide future jobs to our displaced U.S. working family. It is likely that the restaurant industry will be forever changed after the current crisis has abated. Rise is well positioned for grab and go, delivery and catering. As a company, Rise is innovative and positioned to tackle new concepts, like their shared cloud kitchen and innovative third-party delivery. We are proud to be members of this team.”

“Parker has faith and confidence in Rise,” said Ferguson. “He watched over the last nine months as Rise began moving toward a more delivery and catering-friendly model. When the crisis hit, we were prepared with the technology and systems to operate as a delivery and take out restaurant without a hiccup.”

Dr. Parker Simon

Franchise Insider worked as a brokerage firm bringing Simon to Fransmart when he became interested in Rise. Fransmart then worked with Rise and Dr. Simon to ensure that franchising would be a good fit for his family.

“Thank you, Fransmart and Rise teams for taking such good care of our client, Dr. Simon,” said Jack Johnson of Franchise Insider. “We presented Parker with multiple franchise options for consideration but Rise quickly captured his excitement. Fransmart did an exceptional job guiding him through the process of managing expectations, educating, and preparing him to be a franchise owner in the food industry. The entrepreneurial spirit is indeed alive and well with investors.”

Rise is partnered with Fransmart, the industry-leading franchise development company behind household brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries and The Halal Guys, as its exclusive franchising partner to grow the brand. Rise is currently looking for experienced franchisees and qualified investors to introduce the concept to major media markets across the country. To learn more about franchising with Rise, visit http://fransmart.com/rise.

Rise was founded in 2012 by Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Tom Ferguson. Described as a mixture of ‘old school, new school and our school,’ Rise serves up unique biscuit and donut flavors and is constantly rotating in new features to keep the menu fresh and intriguing. Rise’s innovative concept and expansive growth earned the brand the #27 spot on Fast Casual’s 2016 ‘Top 100 Movers & Shakers’ list, and was also ranked as one of ‘The Best Biscuits In The U.S.’ by Food & Wine Magazine. Rise currently operates 16 locations in six states, with over 160 units in development in major U.S. media markets.

Fransmart is the global leader in franchise development, turning emerging restaurant concepts into national and global brands for 20 years. Company founder Dan Rowe identified and grew brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Qdoba Mexican Grill from 1-5 unit businesses to the powerhouse chains they are today. Fransmart’s current and past franchise development portfolio brands have opened more than 3,000 restaurants in 45 states and 35 countries. Fransmart and their partner brands are committed to franchise development growth – as of 2020, over 1,000 new restaurants are in development across their current portfolio. For more information, visit www.fransmart.com.